Charlie Schouten

The two contractors have been shortlisted to deliver a comprehensive overhaul of the former Liverpool Echo building, which includes a 207-bedroom hotel, 44,000 sq ft of offices, and 17,000 sq ft of retail.

The building on Old Hall Street is made up a brown concrete podium and an 18-storey tower, which has been vacant for some time, and is connected to the neighbouring Capital building by a glass atrium.

The office is currently home to the Liverpool Echo, but publisher Trinity Mirror last year announced it would moving its 300 staff to the nearby 5 St Paul’s Square, taking 25,000 sq ft.

Trinity Mirror is working with Trinity Investment Management and Paradigm Investment Management to bring forward the conversion, and has already signed up Melia Hotels International as operator for the hotel.

The hotel will be based in the building’s tower and will include 207 beds, a restaurant and bar, conference space, and a sky bar which will be accessible by the public.

Melia will run the hotel under its Innside brand, which it already operates at Manchester’s First Street, and is aiming to have it up and running by next year.

Designed by architects Corstophine + Wright, the project also includes a number of retail units on the ground floor, which is currently inaccessible from the outside.

The building’s façade is also due to undergo a comprehensive refurbishment including a black granite cladding and replacement windows, alongside new fins on the tower’s corners.

ISG is understood to be bidding for the project from its Liverpool-based office on Princes Parade, while Dublin-headquartered MAC will look to deliver the scheme from its office at Dominion Court in Solihull.

Other projects in the city ISG is working on include a £39m scheme for client Ion Developments next to Lime Street station. This includes a 412-bedroom student accommodation scheme; a 101-bedroom Premier Inn; and retail units along Bolton Street.

Other clients MAC works with include Mountpark Logistics and St Modwen. It has also carried out fit-out works for companies such as EY, Aon, Intel, and IBM.

Plans were submitted for the project in January this year, but are yet to be approved by Liverpool City Council. A gross development value for the scheme has not been disclosed.

MAC and Trinity Investment Management have been approached for comment. ISG declined to comment.